Mexico's President-elect Enrique Peña Nieto delivers a speech during an event in Mexico City, Nov. 14. Nieto visits President Obama today in Washington and will try to set a new tone for the US-Mexican relationship that expands beyond drug war violence.

His predecessor, Mexican President Felipe Calderón, has been hailed in US government circles for taking on drug traffickers, a decision that moved the two countries closer than they’ve ever been in an era of “shared responsibility” of the drug war.

But, while Mr. Peña Nieto will attempt to reinforce his commitment to tackling organized crime, he will also highlight the growth and potential of Mexico today – much of that may surprise many Americans – which has occurred while grisly headlines of drug violence have captured the news.

It is a mistake to limit our bilateral relationship to drugs and security concerns.… We must build a more prosperous North America, on the basis of an alliance for a further competitive and productive integration of our economies.